Teammate

The Breeders' Cup World Championships and the Jersey Shore met head on this week, and judging from the weather forecast, a good portion of the shore will be washing up on Monmouth Park Friday and Saturday. The expected heavy rains will leave the 11 Breeders' Cup races pretty much a mess and a guess.

Glencrest Farm's Panty Raid ran a disappointing fifth the last time she met rival Lady Joanne. But in the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 7 at Keeneland, the 3-year-old daughter of Include exacted her revenge in convincing fashion, launching an impressive four-wide move in the stretch to defeat Lady Joanne by a half-length.

If Asi Siempre is to defend her $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (gr. I) title Oct. 7 at Keeneland, the El Prado mare will have to do it against a loaded field of 11, including three rivals with grade I wins this year.

Now that Rags to Riches will not be running in the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap (gr. I) Sept. 8, the outlook of 1 1/16-mile test for fillies and mares has decidedly changed. Ginger Punch is now the filly to beat.

The last time Unbridled Belle raced at Saratoga, the bay filly was in the midst of a long and unfulfilling summer. An 11 1/2-length defeat in the 2006 Alabama (gr. I) was just one of three sound New York losses for the then 3-year-old filly, prompting Team Valor Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher to give her an extended rest.

Stronach Stables' favored Ginger Punch reeled in the pacesetter Teammate coming off the final turn and finished with authority to easily win the $250,000 Go for Wand Handicap (gr. I) for fillies and mares at Saratoga Saturday.

Grade I winner Ermine will be looking to rebound from a disappointing effort in her last start when she leads a field of six fillies and mares into the Go For Wand Handicap (gr. I) at 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.

A field of six led by co-high weights Take D' Tour and Teammate will go postward Saturday for Belmont Park's 39th running of the $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I), but lightweight Ginger Punch may kick in with some extra clout of her own.

Sugar Shake and Sweet Fliparoo have been cross-entered in Saturday's Shuvee Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park, increasing the number of entries to six. The two fillies were entered in the $150,000 Shuvee after they had already been entered in Friday's Allaire DuPont Breeders' Cup Distaff Handicap (gr. II) at Pimlico.

Fleet Indian looks to be the likely favorite in the $600,000 Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park Oct. 7. The 5-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie has been a perfect 5-for-5 in 2006 for her new connections.

Even-money favorite Pine Island edged past Teammate in the final sixteenth of a mile and went on to post a measured one-length win in the $250,000 Gazelle (gr. IT) for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park Saturday.

Bushfire appears to be the one to beat as she returns from a two-month layover in the grade I, $250,000 Gazelle Stakes at Belmont Park Sept. 9. Standing in her way is Pine Island, recent winner of the grade I Alabama Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Javier Castellano did not have an easy time choosing between Pine Island and Sugar Shake -- two fillies he had ridden to victories at the meet -- in Saturday's 90th running of the grade I Coaching Club American Oaks, the closing day feature of Belmont Park's spring/summer meet.

Amerman Racing's Balance, the favorite for Saturday's $500,000 Ashland Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland following grade I victories in the Las Virgenes and Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita, looms as a solid favorite when the final pool of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (KOFW) launches its four-day run April 6.